First Night
by St. Fang of Boredom
Summary: What was Fang's first night alone like after he ran out on Total's wedding? How do you go from surviving as a team to a solo act overnight? You never know what could 'drop in' unexpectedly when you're out on your own...


Me: Hello, my dears!

So, I said I would try and do some more writing for you all, but with NaNoWriMo (Google it if you don't know what it is.) going on this month, I haven't had time to work on much else. So, I found this little drabble I wrote as an audition for the MaxRide rp I'm in on Tumblr and figured I'd post it on here for you guys. It's just a little idea on what Fang's first night after leaving the Flock on Total's wedding day might've been like.

Fang: It's another one of your attempts to embarrass me, that's what it is.

Me: Oh, shush. Now, where'd I put that old thing... Ah!

**I Lay No Claim Upon That Which Is Pre-Owned: **Maximum Ride? Don't own it. Damn. My attempts to get full (legal) custody of Fang have been futile. Damn you, Patterson...

Fang: Let's just post this and give your readers something to do besides wonder if you've forgotten them.

Me: You, Fang, should put that duct tape back on your mouth.

* * *

Fang's first night away from the Flock was one of the hardest nights of his life.

He'd been through nights after horrible, painful experiments, nights on the run, even a night in a hospital with a gaping side wound. But he'd never been alone. His Flock had always been there for him.

Fang had never realized just how much he relied on the other Flock members. Now sitting alone up high on an oak tree's sturdiest branch, the cool night air forcing him to draw his windbreaker tightly around his body, the reality of his situation was beginning to settle on his mind.

Fang had flown all day and for part of the night. He was tired, physically and emotionally. His whole body seemed to ache and, despite the fact that he hadn't eaten since he left, he couldn't bring himself to eat what little food he had brought with him, his stomach feeling like it was tied in knots. All Fang wanted to do, at this point, was sleep.

But how was he supposed to sleep? He was alone. Who would stand watch? What happened if someone (or something) came along? Every time Fang would start to nod off, he'd hear something; a snapping twig or a strange animal call. Then he'd be wide awake and on alert, searching for some unknown danger in the night.

Fang sighed, leaning his head against the rough tree bark after being awoken again by some bump in the night. He checked his watch and muttered a curse under his breath. 3:45 a.m. He'd hoped to get an early start the next morning, but at this rate, if he ever did get to sleep, being able to function early in the morning seemed unlikely.

He closed his eyes, pulling the hood of his windbreaker over his head and leaning back against the tree. He knew that if he could stay completely still, he could blend in with the dark, cracked bark of the tree. His camouflage wasn't a perfect defense, but it was certainly better than nothing.

He was, once again, just beginning to doze off, when yet another sound startled him back into consciousness. This sound was different, though. Directly above Fang's head, somewhere high up in the tree, a strange, guttural noise could be heard. Fang almost thought it sounded like someone was trying to start an old lawnmower. Not daring to move, his eyes scanned the dark treetop, but even Fang's enhanced, raptor-like vision couldn't pierce through the thick wall of darkness above him.

It was quiet now. Fang finally dropped his gaze, letting out a long, frustrated sigh. He'd never been more on-edge, and it was driving him crazy. What Max would say if she could see him now...

Max. Fang shut that train of thought down immediately. If he started thinking about Max, he'd never get to sleep.  
Fang closed his eyes again, focusing his mind on the forest around him, on the replies he'd had to his blog, on his plans for the morning. Anything, as long as it wasn't the girl he'd left behind.

And then, something heavy fell straight into his lap.

Fang's reaction was one that he would later be glad that no one was around to witness. After being tired and jumpy all night, though, he could hardly be blamed for it.

"AHHH!" Fang yelled, his eyes flying open. He scrambled madly to stand on the tree branch, eyes opened wide and locked on the gray, furry mass before him as it tumbled off of his lap and latched onto Fang's branch. The creature dug its small claws into the bark, glaring at Fang down its long snout. It growled, and Fang found out where his dying lawnmower sound had come from.

It was an opossum.

For a moment, the two of them, marsupial and mutant, were locked in each other's gaze, both shocked at the sudden appearance of the other. Then the opossum gave Fang a small grunt and turned, climbing to the end of Fang's branch before hopping onto the branch of another tree nearby and disappearing again into the darkness.

Fang slowly slid down the trunk of the tree that he had pressed himself tight up against when he had stood. He sat on the branch, staring off into the darkness, towards where the animal had climbed off.

Then he began to laugh.

He was laughing at himself. At his situation. At his life. At everything that had brought him to the point where he could be scared out of his wits by a falling possum. His whole life was like some morbid comedy.

It was well past four in the morning now, and Fang was done trying to sleep. He grabbed his backpack that he had hung from a branch below him and took off into the sky, using his own branch as a springboard.

Tomorrow night, he'd find a motel room.

* * *

Me: Short, but I liked it.

Fang: I was attacked by a marsupial.

Me: It fell, it didn't attack you.

Fang: Evil martial artist opossum.

Me: Oh, jeez...

Fang: Bet it works for the Samurai Squirrels...

Me: These are times I worry about you...

R&R?

Also, if you're on Tumblr and would like to join a Maximum Ride rp, just message me for details! :)

Fang: Shameless plug.

Me: Shuddup.


End file.
